Re/actions: Potatoes Are the Future of Social Media

It’s easier than ever to communicate with our friends and loved ones, but socializing through an app can feel so mechanical. Wouldn’t it be nice to talk to someone in a down-to-earth way?

Enter Potatogram, a successfully funded Kickstarter project that promises to mail a potato with a personalized message to the person of your choice.

The man behind the Potatogram Kickstarter writes that he created the campaign to generate money for legal fees. I messaged him to ask if he plans to keep shipping potatoes after it’s over, and he said he hopes to “set up a store on my website and offer different merchandise to make the Potatogram brand grow.”

“The Potatogram brand” would be a great name for a band. Anyway, here’s what my Re/code colleagues thought of this spudly proposition:

Mark Bergen

Associate Editor, Search & Online Advertising

“But what if I say po-tah-to?”

Sorry, I’m new. I promise to get better at this.

Elizabeth Crane

Senior Editor, Copy

I had a flashback to high school, when spirit clubs would fundraise by selling flowers or candy with a message, all to be delivered during class so the other cool people could see how cool you were to be getting something delivered from another cool person. I do not need to receive a message-potato in the mail for any reason.

Ina Fried

Senior Editor, Mobile

As someone who has long had a strong connection with potatoes, I cannot endorse this sort of potatopression.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CawLbfjSe2Q

Lauren Goode

Managing Editor, Reviews and Product Coverage

I don’t find this Kickstarter very a-peeling.

Arik Hesseldahl

Senior Editor, Enterprise

Someone tell the Idaho Potato Commission to fire its marketing agency.

Noah Kulwin

Editorial Project Manager

What a half-baked idea.

John Murrell

Deputy Managing Editor, News

The concept has appeal, but I would have called it YouTuber.

Kurt Wagner

Associate Editor, Social Media

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

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